He that dwelleth in the secret place of the most High shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty.
Kimchi says the older Rabbis ascribed this psalm to Moses. Israel's exemption from the Egyptian plagues answers to the psalm. Thus it properly follows Moses,' Psalms 90:1-17. The ulterior reference is to Christ. Satan in the temptation applies, Psalms 91:11-12, to Him, without our Lord contradicting. At His first advent, as antitype to Israel, God's Son delivered out of Egypt (Matthew 2:15; Hosea 11:1), God's special providence watched over His manhood, guarding Him from plague, accident, and Satan's plots, until His appointed time. At His second advent, Israel, one with Him, shall be delivered from the seven last Egyptian-like plagues inflicted on the hostile world-powers (Revelation 16:1-21), the kingdom of the beast. The elect of the spiritual Israel also shall be safe "in the time of trouble" (Daniel 12:1-3; Revelation 7:1) under the wing of the Almighty (Psalms 91:1). So generally, God's people at all times are under a special providence, even as to all the outward ills of life, so that nothing can really and lastingly hurt them.
Psalms 91:1-16.-The theme (Psalms 91:1-2); its development (Psalms 91:3-16). The Psalmist alternates the first and second persons, at one time expressing confidence from the soul of the believer when in danger; at another, speaking in his own person to encourage him. The thou is used when he acts as teacher; the I when as scholar. Christ, who learned obedience by suffering (Hebrews 5:8), becomes in turn the Teacher of the Church (Isaiah 50:4).
He that dwelleth in the secret place of the Most High shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty - (Psalms 27:5, "in the secret (the covert) of His tabernacle shall He hide me;" Psalms 31:20.) The names of God, expressing the attributes of infinite power and majesty, indicate the ground of the Psalmist's confidence of safety in Him (Psalms 91:2). "The Most High" - Hebrew, `Elyown (H5945) х hupsistos (G5310)] - is an epithet appropriated peculiarly to God as above the highest principalities, and is joined with other names of God, as 'Eel (H410) `Elyown (H5945), "The Almighty" [Septuagint, pantokratoor (G3841)] - Hebrew, Shaddai х Shaday (H7706), from shaadad (H7703), in Arabic, to be strong; in Hebrew, to waste, destroy. The plural expresses excellence (Gesenius). Or else from sh-, = to the relative 'ªsher (H834), and -day, sufficient; He who is all-sufficient, the source of all sufficiency to His creatures, and having all sufficiency in Himself, independently of them-autarkees. His nature is, "Ipsa suis contenta opibus, nihil indiga nostri"]. It is applied to God alone, and not to angel or man. None can hurt him who is under the safeguard of the personal God, Almighty, and Most High.
Shall abide - Hebrew, 'pass the night;' abide in the dark time of trouble.
The shadow - i:e., the protection (Psalms 36:7; Psalms 17:8). Christ is to us the "man" - "the shadow of a great rock in a weary land" (Isaiah 32:1).